Under a Dimmed Sun [UNCENSORED]

SI: Chapter XXIII: Forced Fate

Amidst the turmoil, Peter's frustration and anger fueled a physical confrontation with Beatrix's knight. The clash escalated quickly, other knights rushed into the location to intervene. The chaotic struggle unfolded, each side attempting to gain control of the situation within the confines of the dimly lit chapel.

The knight, with authority in his voice, declared, "The Viscountess has commanded: Lord Peter is to be captured alive!" The atmosphere grew tense as more knights closed in, attempting to carry out the Viscountess's orders.

Realizing the odds stacked against him, Peter reluctantly yielded. Without his sword and outnumbered, he decided to temporarily retreat, back to the imposing walls of the castle. The pursuit ceased as he disappeared within the fortress, leaving an air of uncertainty in his wake.

In the Wode Castle, Viscountess Beatrix, her gaze unwavering, subjected Peter to an intense interrogation as he stood before her. Each question seemed like a calculated move in a high-stakes game, and Peter found himself in a precarious position, forced to navigate the treacherous waters of his aunt's scrutiny.

Beatrix: "Explain yourself, Peter. What disgraceful act were you committing in that abandoned chapel?"

Peter, defiantly: "I won't apologize for my feelings, Aunt. Alice and I have a connection that goes beyond your control."

Beatrix, coldly: "Feelings? This is about responsibility. You are the heir to Wode, and your actions reflect on the entire lineage."

Peter, frustrated: "I won't let you dictate my life. Alice means more to me than the title you're so obsessed with."

Beatrix, sternly: "You're jeopardizing everything we've worked for. Your indiscretions have consequences."

Peter, resolute: "I don't care about your ambitions. I won't sacrifice my happiness for an inheritance I never asked for. I'm just a bastard son remember?"

Beatrix: "And that's why we worked so hard to legitimize you! And look what you've done in response to my hard work, you ungrateful child!"

The tension between Peter and his aunt escalated, setting the stage for a clash of wills that reverberated through the ancestral halls of Wode.

Viscountess Beatrix, with a commanding tone: "Lock him in his room. He needs time for prayer and repentance. Perhaps solitude will clear his misguided mind."

The castle knight swiftly followed Beatrix's orders, securing Peter's hands and leading him away to his confinement, leaving the once defiant heir silenced and captive within the walls of Wode.

.....

In another scene, Alice returns home with her brother as their father anxiously awaits their arrival.

Alice's brother, Henry, sternly addressing her: "What were you thinking, Alice? You soiled yourself with that scoundrel."

Alice, still overwhelmed with emotions, her voice breaking: "I didn't plan for any of this, Henry. I need some time alone."

As they entered their home, their father John, worriedly looking at Alice: "What happened, Alice? Where were you?"

Alice, holding back tears: "I just need some rest, Father. Please, let me be alone for a while." Alice rushed to her room.

Henry: "Father, you won't believe what I witnessed in the abandoned chapel regarding to Alice and Peter of Wode."

John, concerned: "What happened, Henry? Speak."

Henry: "I found Peter and Alice, together, in an intimate embrace. It was as if they forgot their positions, the scandal unfolding before my eyes."

John, shocked: "Peter? Are you sure?"

Henry: "Yes, Father. They were alone in the abandoned chapel, and things were getting... inappropriate."

John, dismayed: "This is disgraceful. We cannot let such behavior tarnish our family's name."

John: "Oh dear Lord, we're just a humble merchant family."

Henry: "Lady Beatrix's knight took control of the situation, and Peter was apprehended."

John, somber: "Actually— Lady Beatrix has offered us a good deal; Alice will be married off as a third mistress to a wealthy landlord in a distant town. He is a distant family member of Her Majesty the Queen. The dowry is substantial, and it seems not only our faces will be saved, we don't have to worry about any financial issues. Alice don't have a future with Peter of Wode, it's a good deal considering of what happened."

Henry, frustrated: "W- What about Peter?"

John, resigned: "Lady Beatrix holds the power, and we have little choice. We must think of the family's reputation. We'll move to the new town, save face, and hope that time will heal these wounds."

Henry, reluctantly: "But what about Alice?! Is her happiness not worth considering?"

John, with a heavy sigh: "Sometimes, sacrifices must be made for the greater good. We'll ensure Alice's future is secure and prosperous, even if it means enduring this painful separation. We will agree to the deal."

As Alice listened from the shadows, tears welled up in her eyes, and her heart sank. The weight of the decisions being made for her future felt oppressive. She stepped forward, revealing her presence.

Alice, choked with emotion: "Father, Brother, is it true? Am I to be married off without my say?"

Father, trying to be reassuring: "Alice, it's for the best. This marriage brings security and stability."

Alice, frustrated: "But what about love? What about my feelings?"

Henry, sympathetic: "Alice, we are doing what we believe is right for the family."

Alice, defiant: "What about what's right for me? What about my happiness?"

Father, sternly: "Alice, this is not the time for such discussions. You will go where you are needed, and that's final. Servants, Confine her to her room until the bridal carriage comes!" As John ordered the estate servants.

The servants, accustomed to following their master's orders, approached Alice with a mixture of pity and reluctance. Locked in her room, Alice felt the weight of her fate pressing down on her, leaving her with nothing but the silence of her own thoughts.

As Alice found herself confined to her room, the realization of her powerlessness in the face of her father's decisions weighed heavily on her. She pounded on the locked door, desperate for some semblance of control.

Alice, frustrated: "Father, please let me out! I won't accept this without a fight."

John, from the other side of the door: "It's for your own good, Alice. This marriage secures your future. You will thank me."

Locked in her room, Alice strained to hear her father's conversation with Henry— As the pieces of their plan fell into place.

John, in hushed tones: "Son, make sure she stays in her room until the bride carriage arrives. We can't have any disruptions."

Alice's heart sank as she realized the extent of her father's betrayal. Locked away and reduced to mere property, she felt a wave of helplessness wash over her. The once-familiar walls of her room now seemed to close in on her, trapping her in a destiny not of her choosing.